How To Prevent Overgrown Beaks In Pet Parrots - Plus Our Favorite Bird Beak Trimming Toys

We all want our parrots to be as happy and healthy and possible, and a healthy bird has a healthy beak.

A bird's beak is essential to his survival. It is used for eating, climbing the bars of their cage, feeding hatchlings, defending their territory, and so much more. For almost any given task, the beak is every bird's ultimate tool to get the job done.

No matter how much we all love our feathered friends, sometimes we overlook the health of their most important asset. One all too common ailment among pet parrots is an overgrown beak. Read on to learn more and find out how to save your parrot from the pain of this condition.

If you want a quick solution to remedy this issue: Get your bird a set of chew toys. Click here to see our #1 recommended chew toys.

How to Spot a Healthy Beak

• A healthy beak is smooth, symmetrical, and should have a slight downward curve that allows the parrot to easily open and close it. 
• The upper and lower beaks should align with each other and should be free of any discoloration and peeling. 
• Beaks should be of proper length and not too short or too long, as discussed below.

What is an Overgrown Beak?

As the name implies, an overgrown beak is an abnormality where a beak has grown excessively long such that it prevents normal functions. Usually the upper beak will be the culprit of this condition, although lower beaks can also grow excessively.

It can be caused by improper diet, or the result of an infection, injury, or liver disease. Usually it occurs due to a lack of proper use in the bird's current environment.

Once the top portion of the beak begins to grow beyond its "normal" means, the parrot will no longer be able to comfortably open and close it; thus, leading to malnutrition along with a wide range of other health problems.

More Than Just a Cosmetic Issue

Unfortunately, many owners brush it off at first as nothing more than a cosmetic issue that poses no direct risk to their parrot's health or well-being. 

However, this seemingly cosmetic issue can perpetuate into a serious problem if it goes unaddressed.

The early stages of an  overgrown beak will have little effect on the parrot's health and normal functions, but later stages can make it difficult for them to play, eat, and even drink water. 

Hard to Recognize

It can be difficult for owners to recognize the onset of an overgrown beak since it usually happens very slowly over time, with minute unnoticeable increases made to it each day.

This is why it's important for owners to take the necessary precautions to prevent beak overgrowth in their parrots.

How to Avoid Overgrown Beaks

In the wild, birds are constantly using their beaks to forage for food and build/remodel their nests. This constant beak use is natural and necessary to keep their constantly growing beaks trimmed and in check (bird beaks grow pretty fast, much like human fingernails).

Pet birds and those raised in captivity usually don't have the need to use their beaks as frequently as they would in their natural habitat, so it is important for owners to keep their bird's beak health at top of mind.

Luckily, the easiest ways to avoid this abnormality is through careful consideration of your bird's diet and environment.

Chew on This!

Placing chew toys (like our favorite option here) in your parrot's cage is a simple yet highly effective way to help prevent overgrown beaks. Parrots love to spend their free time pecking and knocking around on toys. The repetitive chewing action naturally wears down their beak; thus, preventing overgrowth.

If you're going to use wooden toys in your parrot's cage, check to make sure they are untreated beforehand. Placing treated wood or wooden toys near a parrot could result in toxic poisoning, which is something no owner wants to experience. Only use natural, untreated wooden toys to ensure your parrot has a safe environment to live in.

In addition to wooden chew toys, get some ladders, mineral blocks, and other items for your birdie to play with. Fresh branches from outside and grooming perches are great as well. It will keep them entertained and prevent the onset of an overgrown beak at the same time. Win-win!

Give Them Some Hard Food

Another preventive measure owners can take to help reduce the chance of beak overgrowth is to provide your parrot with hard food. Far too many owners feed their parrots a generic soft pellet formula day after day. 

Even if the pellets offer well-balanced nutrition, they don't protect against beak overgrowth. A smarter approach is to feed your parrot a mixture of seeds and hard nuts (such as almonds) to encourage beak wearing.

How to Address an Overgrown Beak

If your parrot is currently suffering from an overgrown beak, schedule an appointment with an avian veterinarian immediately. They'll be able to provide guidance on how to file or trim it down. 

Depending on the severity of the condition, a veterinarian may want to go ahead and trim the beak down themselves, or they may recommend waiting a while to see if it goes away while you implement the preventive measures described above.

Beak trimming is not a subject to be taken lightly and in our opinion should be avoided at all costs if possible. Prevention is always the best medicine :)

Keep the Beaks at Bay!

There you have our breakdown on the ins-and-outs of the not so sexy subject of overgrown beaks. While it's not fun to talk about or look at pictures of this condition, this is an important issue that could have some serious consequences for you and your bird if left unaddressed.

Please keep these tips in mind to provide your parrot with the best environment possible. The health of your bird's beak depends on it!